Chapter 158

An announcer's voice flowed from the TV.

The screen switched to footage of the courthouse.

If the broadcasters had played crazy and aired the raw curses without censorship, it might've made for even better TV. Having written off Go Yunseong as beyond saving, even the stations and papers that had initially hushed it up were now splashing his meltdown across front pages.

"Haha, hahaha! Ow, my stomach hurts. Ah!"

Kang Minjae had been scouring portal sites for days, devouring every mocking post about Go Yunseong.

Some had even remixed his rampage audio—curses over trendy songs—into full tracks. Kang Minjae said he'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠set "Bbi-go" and "I'm Go Yunseong" as his morning alarm and offered to Bluetooth them to me. I passed, but Oh Yanghun the office manager apparently took them. He'd even changed his ringtone to "Imprisonment?" Office noise pollution was at critical levels.

"Kang, enough with the internet. Prep the civil suit with Mr. Oh Sanghyeon and Ms. Han Youngseon already."

"I'm doing it while I browse, boss. Whoa! Hahaha, check this out—a new meme! Magic trick where a dove flies out of the rope around Go Yunseong's wrists. Hot hahaha! Sob sob!"

I couldn't even talk to him anymore as he made those weird laughing-crying noises. Not that I couldn't understand. It was only yesterday we'd proven the director's testimony—claiming we'd staged the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠whole thing to convince him—was bullshit. Unfortunately, the investigation hadn't uncovered who really made him lie. No matter how we cross-checked his bank records or tracked his movements, it stayed a blank. The lead prosecutor said they'd dig deeper, but I wasn't holding my breath. It'd fizzle out from higher-ups, no doubt.

The announcer's forceful voice cut through, silencing even Kang Minjae mid-cackle as he showed Oh Yanghun a Go Yunseong meme. All eyes turned to the TV I'd left on.

Skillful reporting, too—not once mentioning Wooshin Group, keeping the rage pinned solely on Yang Hansuk. Mixing in "Wooshin" would've diluted it toward them. I leaned deep into my chair and sighed. I didn't like Yang Hansuk much, but pity was inevitable. Hadn't I been ditched by Hwang Youngchan in my past life, fueling this revenge ever since? Fellow sufferers, I guess.

But his confession suggested Wooshin and Hwang Youngchan had paid a modest price. He'd lose his badge for now, but promises of alternative help probably followed. I'd have refused, but to Yang Hansuk, it might've seemed a lifeline. Having failed to frame Oh Sanghyeon as the perp, he'd been cut loose by Hwang Youngchan. In despair, an offer to take the fall solo in exchange for a spot in their circle? Hard to turn down.

All speculation, of course.

"Slippery bastard wriggling free—hilarious, right?"

As the news shifted back to regular programming, Kang Minjae scowled.

"Proving Yang Hansuk acted on Wooshin's orders from this alone? Tough sell. I'm shocked he even took the fall."

"...Yeah, fair."

"Normally they'd hush it as a 'mistake,' 'didn't know,' whatever. Better dumb than corrupt in their eyes."

Was it to save Go Yunseong? He was the first Wooshin scion facing jail over personal scandal, but as Go Sangjun's pampered youngest. With their image already tanking and bribery rumors solidifying, it must've stung. So maybe they set up Yang Hansuk as a proxy on the guillotine.

Trash is trash either way.

I figured pinning it on one guy beat total silence from prosecutors. Ideal was rooting it out entirely, but that's just wishful singing. Not my place to say, me who'd gnashed teeth vowing to jail the whole Wooshin clan someday. Reality bites. Nab one accomplice, set an example. Stack 'em up—one, two—and soon few'd be left with clean hands. Someday, we'd take the head, not just tails.

"Father, when will you wake up?"

Go Yunsu stared at the IV drip's steady plink, plink of droplets. Worry filled his eyes on his father, lying deathly still in the bedroom.

The doctor beside him replied softly. "Just shock—he'll come around soon. Don't worry too much, President."

"How can I not? Father's covered for Yunseong's screw-ups so many times. Ha... That idiot should've just played meek and gotten in the van quietly."

Go Yunsu rubbed his forehead with a sigh. He'd ignored advice to fake remorse for a quick release and instead raged at reporters pre-van. If it were just a few clips, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they could've scrubbed them—but now they spread virally in weird forms, unstoppable.

"That prosecutor's mess—will it wrap cleanly? You said when you met him he'd guarantee no CCTV admissibility, even if it surfaced."

Go Yunsu eyed the lawyer lounging in the caregiver's chair across the bed.

"In regular court, we could've spun it. But citizen jury trial? Tougher."

"Pathetic. That prosecutor too."

"This'll end fine. He'll take the solo fall. Even if he squeals, Wooshin's chairman won't breathe a word."

"Good, then..."

Go Yunsu straightened his father's bedding, face conflicted. The old man, hale despite hypertension, had collapsed at news of his baby boy jailed.

"Yunsu."

Go Sangjun slowly opened his eyes.

"Father, you're awake?"

"Yeah. Heard about Yunseong?"

"Yes. Spoke to the warden earlier. He's set."

Go Sangjun nodded, trying to sit. Go Yunsu and the lawyer helped prop him against the headboard.

"...That bastard who made Yunseong a criminal."

"Who? The site director?"

"No."

Go Sangjun bit his dry lips, glaring at Go Yunsu. "That lawyer. Cha... what?"

The lawyer murmured, "Lawyer Cha Juhan."

"Right. Him."

"Business with Lawyer Cha, Chairman?"

"He needs some stones thrown his way. Gallows if possible. Think of something."